


The Girl Who Loved: Year 1

by Shining_Red_Diamond



Series: The Girl Who Loved [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Action & Romance, F/M, Fantasy, Hogwarts
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-10
Updated: 2020-11-10
Packaged: 2021-03-08 19:40:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 10
Words: 14,441
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27492082
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shining_Red_Diamond/pseuds/Shining_Red_Diamond
Summary: What made Colleen Weasley so different from her siblings? Everyone knew she wasn't like them from the start, but they loved her unconditionally. But how will her first year at Hogwarts be effected from an Irish boy falling head over heels for her and a mystery surrounding "the Boy Who Lived?"
Relationships: Seamus Finnigan/Original Female Character(s)
Series: The Girl Who Loved [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2009074





	1. Chapter 1

_September 1_

Colleen woke up with excitement going through her veins. She and Ron would be heading off to Hogwarts that morning to begin first year. Percy would be starting his fifth year, and Fred and George would be starting their third year. Ginny hadn’t gotten her letter yet, so she couldn’t come with them just yet.

It was quite early in the morning for Colleen to be up, but she just couldn’t go back to sleep. She could smell breakfast from downstairs her mother always cooked, but Molly didn’t wake her children until it was time to eat before getting ready for the day. Until then, Colleen decided to practice some spells with her wand.

Her very own wand. Not a hand-me-down like her brothers always ended up getting until their father could afford to get them their own wand. The Weasleys had always been frugal with money, even though they didn’t have a lot. Arthur had a good job at the Ministry of Magic, but with eight children some things had to be made to last such as wands, robes, and school books all in order to keep a roof over their heads and food on the table. All of the boys had been handed down each other’s items in terms of school robes and supplies, but when it came to the girls Colleen would be given new things so she could pass them down to Ginny when it was her time to attend. Arthur and Molly had managed to save up just enough to purchase everything their children needed for the new school year. Well, almost everything. Ron would be given a few hand-me-downs from Bill, and the twins would be given some of Percy’s old books; but Colleen would be given everything brand new.

Arthur had walked into Ollivander’s with his eldest daughter to find her wand.

“The wand chooses the witch or wizard,” the wandmaker had told her. After two failed attempts at wands, Colleen had received her wand: cherry wood, a dragon heartstring core, 9 inches long, and a diamond was at the end of the handle. It was extremely rare for a witch or wizard to have gems in their wands, but Mr. Ollivander told her that she must have something very special about her to have such a wand.

Colleen wasn’t one to boast or brag about anything; she just thought how pretty the sunlight bounced off the diamond’s edges was.

To say the boys sometimes thought that their sisters were spoiled was an understatement. They loved them very much, but they did sometimes feel as if they were left out of the picture. Molly and Arthur loved their children equally, and they often had to remind them of that.

While Ginny was still asleep in her bed, Colleen did her best not to wake her up as she sneaked out of their shared bedroom and into the bathroom with her wand and Charms book in hand. In the cupboard above the sink, she pulled out her box of metal scraps and small pebbles to practice with. She had passed by a jeweler once in Diagon Alley, and the shopkeeper had made everything out of old metal parts using Transfiguration and Charms spells. She had made quite a wealthy living from it and was able to start making fashion and robes from scrap fabric or old robes no one wanted. This inspired Colleen to hatch an idea: she wanted to succeed at Hogwarts, but she wanted to use her magic to help her family and others around her. She decided she was going to collect whatever scrap or items in nature she could and practice making jewelry with them. Once she had mastered it, she would sell them, and some of the money would go to her parents.

She sat down on the floor, placed a few metal parts and her book in front of her and flipped to a page with the easiest spell: a ring making charm.

“ _Anulusum_ ,” she chanted as she pointed her wand at a piece of metal.

Immediately, it began to lengthen and weave around itself into a circular object until it looked identical to her mother’s wedding ring without the diamond. Colleen picked it up and examined her new creation.

“Wicked,” she whispered.

“Colleen,” her mother’s voice rang from the door. “Are you in there, darling?”

“Yes, mum,” she replied as she quickly gathered her project.

“I just came up to tell you that breakfast was ready. Get dressed and join your siblings downstairs.”

“I’m coming.” Colleen placed the box back into the cupboard as she heard her mother’s footsteps creak away.

Once she felt the hallway was clear, Colleen crept out of the bathroom and quickly tiptoed to her and Ginny’s bedroom. Her sister was already out of bed putting on a light jacket.

“Why do you have your wand?” Ginny asked. “Were you doing magic again?”

“I was practicing,” Colleen excused as she set her wand on her nightstand. She went to her dresser and pulled out a pink jumper and a brown skirt to wear for the train-ride to Hogwarts. “Besides, I want to do well at Hogwarts. Mum and Dad always encourage us to do our very best in whatever we do.”

“But Mummy is always telling us not to use magic outside of school,” Ginny replied as she slipped on her Mary Janes.

“I haven’t even started school yet, Ginny,” the older girl argued. “That rule only applies to Fred, George, and Percy.”

Ginny just shrugged and made her downstairs as Colleen finished getting dressed.

-

“King’s Cross is always packed with Muggles, of course,” Molly grumbled as the six of her eight children followed briskly behind her, pushing their trunks as they strolled.

Colleen almost had to run as she pushed her trunk due to her small stature. She was taller than her baby sister, but she was shorter than her brothers. The twins would often make height jokes, but she got used to them over time.

The group stopped at platforms nine and ten, allowing Colleen to catch her breath.

“Now, what’s the platform number?” Molly asked them as Ginny was clinging to her.

“Nine and three-quarters!” Ginny piped up. “Mum, can’t I go…”

“You’re not old enough, Ginny, now be quiet. All right, Percy, you go first.”

Percy turned his trunk towards the dividing barrier between the platforms and ran while pushing his trunk, disappearing to the other side of it.

“Fred, you next,” Molly said.

“I’m not Fred, I’m George,” one of the twins said. “Honestly, woman, you call yourself our? Can’t you _tell_ I’m George?"

“Sorry, George, dear.”

“Only joking, I am Fred,” he chuckled. Fred ran towards the divide, his twin following suit, and disappeared.

Ron and Colleen lined up take their turn, but were interrupted by another boy and girl their age. They both had trunks and owls with them. The boy had unkempt black hair, round glasses, and green eyes; and the girl was pale-skinned with grey eyes and wild, dark curls. She gave off a shy aura, but Colleen figured it was just first day nervousness.

“Excuse me,” the boy said.

“Hello, dears,” Molly smiled at them. “First time to Hogwarts? Ron and Colleen are new, too.”

The siblings smiled at the other two children.

“Yes,” the boy said. “The thing is-the thing is, I don’t know how to-“

“How to get on the platform?” she asked, and the children nodded. “Not to worry. All you have to do is walk straight at the barrier between platforms nine and ten. Don’t stop and don’t be scared you’ll crash into it, that’s very important. Best do it at a bit of a run if you’re nervous. Go on, go now before Ron and Colleen.”

“Er-okay,” the boy replied.

After he disappeared behind the divide, Ron and Colleen were last. Ron was first, and she was close behind him. She panicked for a little bit as she got closer to the wall, but the next time she blinked she had made it to the other side.

The platform was crowded with incoming first years swarming around to get their things on the train, and returning students doing the same thing but in a more routine fashion. Cats were weaving in and out of other people’s legs, and owls in cages were hooting and screeching. Some children were already on the train and waving good-bye to their families.

Once Ron and Colleen had boarded the train, their trunks were tucked away in the compartment.

“Fred? George? Are you there?” their mother’s voice called out.

“Coming, Mum,” one of the twins replied.

The Weasley children hopped back onto the platform to tell their mum and sister goodbye before jumping back on again. Molly pulled out a handkerchief.

“Ron, you’ve got something on your nose,” she pointed out as she tried to wipe her son’s face.

Ron attempted to pull away. “ _Mum_ -geroff.”

“Aaah, has ickle Ronnie got somefink on his nosie?” one of the twins teased.

“Shut up.”

“Where’s Percy?” Molly asked.

“He’s coming now.”

Percy walked towards them, already dressed in his new robes with letter P badge stuck on him. “Can’t stay long, mother,” he said. “I’m up front, the prefects have got two compartments to themselves-“

“Oh, are you a _prefect_ , Percy?” Fred asked sarcastically. “You should have said something, we had no idea,”

“Hang on, I think I remember him saying something about it,” said George. “Once-“

“Or twice-“

“A minute-“

“All summer-“

“Oh, shut up,” the older brother rolled his eyes.

“How come Percy gets new robes anyway?” George asked. “I thought Colleen was the only one getting new things.”

“Because he’s a _prefect_ ,” Molly stated firmly. “All right, dear, well, have a good term – send me an owl when you get there.”

She pecked Percy’s cheek before he left for the prefects’ compartment, then she turned to her twins.

“Now, you two – this year, you behave yourselves. If I get one more owl telling me you’ve blown up a toilet or-“

“Blown up a toilet?” George repeated. “We’ve never blown up a toilet.”

“Great idea though,” Fred smiled, “thanks, Mum.”

“It’s not funny,” their mother snapped. “And look after Ron and Colleen.”

“Don’t worry, ickle Ronniekins and Colliewollie are safe with us.”

“Shut up,” Ron said.

Molly took Colleen’s face in her hands and kissed her forehead. “You write everything that happens on your first night there. Promise?”

“Yes, Mum,” Colleen nodded.

“That’s my Colleen.”

Colleen then hugged her sister and said, “Keep an eye on the thimblewacks for me?”

Ginny nodded.

“Hey, Mum, guess what?” Fred spoke again. “Guess who we just met on the train? You know that black-haired boy who near us in the station and the curly-haired girl that was with him? Know who he is?”

“Who?”

“ _Harry Potter!”_

Ginny’s eyes lit up. “Oh, Mum, can I go on the train and see him, Mum,” she begged, “oh, please…”

“You’ve already seen him, Ginny,” Molly replied, “and the poor boy isn’t something you goggle at in a zoo. Is he really, Fred? How do you know?”

“Asked him,” Fred replied. “Saw his scar. It’s really there – like lightening.”

“Poor dear – no wonder he and that girl were alone, I wondered. He was ever o polite when they asked how to get onto the platform.”

“Never mind that, do you think he remembers what You-Know-Who looks like?”

Molly then became stern. “I forbid you to ask him, Fred. No, don’t you dare. As though he needs reminding of that on his first day on school.”

“All right, keep your hair on.”

The train whistle blew.

“Hurry up!” Molly shooed, and the siblings scrambled on the train with Colleen nearly tripping. Ginny began to cry.

“Don’t cry, Ginny, we’ll send you loads of owls,” Colleen promised.

“We’ll send you a Hogwarts toilet seat,” George joked.

“George!” Molly screeched.

“Only joking, Mum.”


	2. Chapter 2

Colleen and Ron waved goodbye to their mother and sister as the train took off. Once it rounded a corner, the two siblings went in search of a compartment to sit in until their arrival. They searched up and down, but didn’t find an empty seat until Ron came across one with the boy in rounded glasses and the girl with curly hair sitting in it.

“Anyone sitting here?” Ron asked after sliding the compartment door open. “Everywhere else is full.”

The two children nodded. Ron and Colleen sat down across from them.

“Hey, Ron,” one of the twins’ voices called from the hallway. Both of them poked their heads in. “Listen, we’re going down the middle of the train – Lee Jordan’s got a tarantula down there.”

“Right,” Ron responded.

“Harry,” George said as he turned to the other boy, “did we introduce ourselves? Fred and George Weasley. And this is Ron, our brother. And that’s Colleen, our sister. See you later, then.”

“Bye,” the other children replied, and the twins shut the door closed.

“Are you really Harry Potter?” Colleen asked, her eyes wide in wonder.

The dark-haired boy nodded.

“Oh, I thought it might be one of Fred and George’s jokes.”

“And have you really got – you know…” said Ron. He pointed to his forehead.

Harry pulled back his hair from his forehead and revealed a lightning-shaped scar.

“So that’s where You-Know-Who-?”

“Yes,” Harry said, “but I can’t remember it.”

“Nothing?”

“Well – I remember a lot of green light, but nothing else.”

“Wow.”

Colleen noticed there hadn’t been a single peep from the girl sitting next to Harry. She had been staring out the window in a sort of sad daze the entire time.

“What’s your name?” Colleen asked her.

“Valerie,” the girl answered in a hushed tone. “Valerie Dursley.”

“Pleased to meet you, Valerie,” Colleen smiled at her.

“Are all your family wizards?” asked Harry.

“Er – yes, I think so,” Ron replied. “I think Mum’s got a second cousin who’s an accountant, but we never talk about him.”

“So you must know loads of magic already.”

Colleen shrugged. “I mean, if I’m completely honest. I did practice only a handful of charms at home.”

“When?” Ron asked.

“Why do you care?”

“What if I wanted to practice, too?”

“Because I would have made you swear by pulling your thumb as far back as it could go, and then we’d both get into trouble for fighting.”

“Point taken.”

Harry and Valerie chuckled at their argument, and Ron rolled his eyes.

“I heard you went to live with Muggles,” he changed the subject. “What are they like?”

“Horrible – well, not all of them. My aunt and uncle and cousin are, though. Valerie here has kept me company. I wish we had three wizard brothers.”

“Five,” Ron sighed. “Colleen and I are sixth and seventh in our family to go to Hogwarts. You could say we’ve got a lot to live up to. Bill and Charlie have already left – Bill was head boy and Charlie was captain of Quidditch. Now Percy’s a prefect. Fred and George mess around a lot, but they still get really good marks and everyone thinks they’re funny. Everyone expects us to do as well as the others, but if we do, it’s o big deal, because they did it first. You never get anything new, either, with five older brothers. I’ve got Bill’s oldrobes, Charlie’s old wand, and Percy’s old rat. Well, my sis here got new stuff, but they’ll be passed on to our baby sister next year.”

Ron then reached into his pocket and pulled out the old rat.

“His name’s Scabbers,” he explained while the rat slept, “and he’s useless, he hardly ever wakes up. Percy got an owl from my dad being made a prefect and Colleen an owl as well, but they couldn’t aff – I mean, I got Scabbers instead.”

Ron went silent as his ears turned red. They weren’t supposed to talk about some situations in their family with others, but sometimes it just slipped out of Ron’s mouth.

Harry then began to tell about his and Valerie’s lives from the time they were infants until now. Both had been verbally abused by Harry’s aunt and uncle and cousin, and Valerie only adopted the surname because she didn’t know whom or where her parents were. Only Harry knew what happened to his parents.

Neither of them knew what their futures would be up until Hagrid came and took them to prepare for Hogwarts.

“…and until Hagrid told us,” he continued, “we didn’t know anything about being a wizard and witch or about my parents or Voldemort–“

Ron gasped and Colleen shushed him.

“What?” Valerie asked.

“You said You-Know-Who’s _name!_ ” said Ron in a surprised tone. “I’d have thought you, of all people–“

“I’m not trying to be brave or anything, saying the name,” Harry replied. “I just never knew you shouldn’t. See what I mean? I’ve got loads to learn…I bet. I bet I’m the worst in the class.”

“You won’t be,” Colleen reassured him with a smile. “There’s lots of people who come from Muggle families and they learn very quickly.”

As the train moved out of London and sped past open fields, the four of them didn’t speak until a lady with a dimpled smile and pushing a cart stopped in front of their compartment door. “Anything off the trolley, dears?” she asked.

“No, thanks,” Colleen said with glum.

“We’re all set,” said Ron as he pulled out two sandwiches from is pocket; the same glum look identical to Colleen’s on his face.

“We’ll take the lot,” Harry said after pulling out a few Sickles and Knuts.

Harry bought some of everything on the cart including Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans, Drooble’s Best Blowing Gum, Chocolate Frogs, Licorice Wands, Cauldron Cakes, and a number of other sweets. Everything was stacked in a colorful pile between him and Valerie. Colleen immediately grabbed two Cauldron Cakes, since they were her favorite; but she gave one to Valerie, who shyly took it and began unwrapping the packaging.

“Hungry are you?” Ron said.

“Starving,” said Harry.

“Me too,” Valerie chimed in.

Ron started to unwrap his sandwich and then let out a groan, “She always forgets I don’t like corned beef.”

Colleen giggled as she bit into her pastry.

“Swap you one for these,” Harry said as he handed out one of the candies. “Go on–“

“You don’t want this, it’s all dry. She hasn’t got much time, you know, with six of us.”

Harry persisted, and Ron took it, tossing the sandwich aside. Despite growing up in a home where neither him nor Valerie were allowed hardly anything except a place to sleep, food, and hand-me-down clothing, Colleen could see the kindness in their hearts. She had a way of reading people just by watching them. If two people shook hands in greeting, Colleen could tell if they were close friends or meeting for the first time. Valerie was coming off as shy, but Colleen knew she wouldn’t hurt a fly.

As Harry and Ron were busy with their conversation about Chocolate Frogs and the trading cards they came with, Colleen took the opportunity to try to get to know Valerie more.

“So what House are you hoping to get?” she asked.

“I’m sorry?” the curly-haired girl replied with a confused look.

“House. Hogwarts has four of them: Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Mum says we’re sorted to be with others who might be our closest friends.”

“What are you hoping you’ll get?”

“I’m not sure yet.”

“It’ll be Gryffindor,” Ron chimed in. “All of the Weasleys have been in Gryffindor for centuries.”

“Ronald,” Colleen rolled her eyes, “I might not. Only the Weasley _bloodline_ has been in Gryffindor.”

“But your last name is Weasley, is it not?” Harry asked.

“It is. You see–“

“Sorry,” a round-faced, teary-eyed boy interrupted them, “but have you seen a toad at all?”

The quartet shook their heads.

“I’ve lost him!” the boy cried. He keeps getting away from me!”

“He’ll turn up,” Valerie reassured him.

“Yes. Well, if you see him…”

“Want me to help you?”

The boy turned red. “S-Sure.”

Valerie stood from her seat and followed him out of the compartment.

“Don’t know why he’s so bothered,” Ron shrugged.

“Ronald, be nice,” Colleen snapped.

“Well, if I’d brought a toad I’d lose it as quick as I could. Mind you, I brought Scabbers, so I can’t talk. You’ve actually got an owl, sis.”

Colleen just scoffed.

“He might have died and you wouldn’t know the difference,” Ron continued. “I tried to turn him yellow yesterday to make him more interesting, but the spell didn’t work. I’ll show you, look…”

He pulled his, in this case Charlie’s, very old wand out of his trunk. A little bit of white was poking out if the end.

“Unicorn hair’s nearly poking out. Anyway–“

Just before he could chant the spell, a girl with bushy brown hair followed by Valerie and the round-faced boy entered the doorway.

“Has anyone seen a toad?” she asked, a bossy tone in her voice. “Neville’s lost one.”

“We’ve already told him we haven’t seen it,” Ron replied.

The girl didn’t seem to hear him as she took the seat next to Colleen. “Oh, are you doing magic? Let’s see it, then.”

Ron cleared his throat. “ _Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow, Turn this stupid fat rat yellow._ ”

Nothing happened. Scabbers stayed grey.

“Are you sure that’s real spell?” the girl chuckled. “Well, it’s not very good, is it?”

Colleen smacked her forehead in frustration. “I’m so sorry. He’s one to fall for our brothers tricks too easy.”

Ron stuck his tongue out at her, and Colleen did the same.

“I’ve tried a few simple spells just for practice and they’ve all worked for me,” the girl continued. “Nobody in my family’s magic at all, it was ever such a surprise when I got my letter, but I was ever so pleased, of course, I mean, it’s the very best school of witchcraft there is, I’ve heard – I’ve learned all our course books by heart, of course, I just hope it will be enough – I’m Hermione Granger, by the way, who are you?”

Everything that had spilled out of her mouth came at such lightning speed that Colleen almost didn’t catch what she said except for her name.

“I’m Colleen Weasley,” she introduced herself as she shook hands with Hermione. “I see you’ve met Valerie Dursley, and the magician across there is my brother.”

“Ron Weasley,” he said.

“Harry Potter,” said Harry.

“Are you really?” Hermione’s eyes grew wide. “I know all about you, of course – I got a few extra books for background reading, and you’re in _Modern Magical History_ and _The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts_ and _Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century._ ”

“Am I?”

“Goodness, didn’t you know, I’d have found out everything I could if it was me. Do any of you know what House you’ll be in? I’ve been asking around, and I hope I’m in Gryffindor, it sounds by far the best; I hear Dumbledore himself was in it, but I suppose Ravenclaw wouldn’t be too bad…Anyway, we’d better go and look for Neville’s toad. You had better change, you know, I expect we’ll be there soon.”

She then left, Neville trailing behind her.

“Whatever House I’m in, I hope she’s not in it,” Ron said before chunking his wand back in his trunk. “Stupid spell – George gave it to me, but I knew it was a dud.”

“Don’t believe everything Fred and George tell you, Ronald,” Colleen reminded him.

“You said that everyone in the Weasleys has been in Gryffindor,” Harry said.

“Yes,” said Ron. “I honestly don’t know what they’ll say if I’m not. I don’t suppose Ravenclaw would be too bad, but imagine if they put me in Slytherin.”

“That’s the House Vol-, I mean, You-Know-Who was in?”

“Yeah.”

Colleen then reached into her trunk and pulled out her robes. “I’m going to find a lavatory to change.”

“Hurry back,” Ron joked.

The strawberry-blonde girl exited the compartment and made her way down the hallway.


	3. Chapter 3

By the time Colleen returned to the compartment Valerie, Harry, and Ron were all waiting for her, dressed in their uniforms. Colleen took note of her brother’s robes and giggled how short they were when they were revealing his shoes.

After the boys stuffed the last of the candy stash in their pockets, the group exited off the train onto the platform. Colleen immediately shivered in the cold air, and a light in the distance was floating towards them.

“Firs’ years!” a voice boomed. “Firs’ years over here! All right there, Harry?”

A man much taller than average with a thick, brown beard appeared from the darkness. A smile rested on his face, giving off a friendly presence.

“C’mon, follow me,” he instructed the new first years. “Any more firs’ years? Mind yer step, now! Firs’ years follow me!”

Everyone followed behind him down a dark and narrow path. It was hard to see where they were, and the only source of light was the little lantern in front of them. Colleen wasn’t usually afraid of the dark, but she felt uneasy. Out of habit when she got scared, she grabbed Ron’s hand.

Was his hand always this small? And when were they so soft?

A finger tapped her shoulder. “I’m behind you, sis,” Ron said.

Colleen looked over at whom she was holding hands with. A boy a few inches shorter than her had locked eyes with her, and she began to blush.

“Sorry,” she whispered, then let go of the boy’s hand.

The boy just shyly chuckled as Colleen’s cheeks felt hot.

“Yeh’ll get yer firs’ sight o’ Hogwarts in a sec,” the tall man said, “jus’ round this bend here.”

The first years finally could see what he was talking about, and across a sparkling, moonlit lake a castle illuminated by golden lights shone in the distance.

“No more’n four to a boat!” the man instructed as he guided them to fleet of boats floating against the shore of the lake. Harry, Ron, Valerie, and Colleen carefully settled into a boat as Neville and Hermione went to another boat where the boy Colleen had accidentally held hands with had climbed into with a boy with darker skin.

He met her gaze again, and she could see his features had freckles sprinkled on his face. He smiled at her before blushing and breaking eye contact.

“Everyone in?” the man shouted, now in his own boat. “Right then – FORWARD!”

All at once, the boats simultaneously moved forward. A few mutters of excitement escaped the first years’ mouths, and the castle seemed to grow taller as they sailed closer to the castle.

…

As soon as the children were off the boats, they headed to the doors of the castle. The man used his massive fist to knock the door three times, and they flew open. A witch in emerald-green robes greeted them with a stern look on her face.

“The firs’ years, Professor McGonagall,” the man introduced them.

“Thank you, Hagrid,” she replied. “I will take them from here.”

She opened the door wider and guided the new students through the entrance hall. Flaming torches lined the stone walls, the ceiling was so high that it almost deemed to disappear, and the students passed a marble staircase leading to the upper floors.

They made a right and were guided passed a large room where hundreds of Hogwarts students were patiently sitting at four extremely long tables. McGongall lead the first years to a smaller chamber, and they crowded in.

The professor then faced them. “Welcome to Hogwarts,” she said. “The state-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your Houses. The Sorting is very important because, while you are here, your House will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your House, sleep in your House dormitory, and spend free time in your House common room.

“The four Houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each House has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn you House points, while any rule breaking will lose House points. At the end of the year, the House with the most points is awarded the House Cup, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever House becomes yours.

“The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting.”

She looked over the children again before continuing. “I shall return when we are ready for you. Please wait quietly.”

She then left the room.

“How exactly do they sort us into Houses?” Harry asked.

“Some sort of test, I think,” said Ron. “Fred said it hurts a lot, but I think he was joking.”

“That’s because he _was_ ,” Colleen chimed in. A few chuckles sounded from behind them.

Ron just rolled his eyes at his sister.

For the next few minutes, the only talkative one seemed to be Hermione as she discussed the different spells she had learned and when she thought she would use them. Colleen had done something similar, but she didn’t consider herself an overachiever. She had practiced a few transfiguration spells and charms memorized by heart for her personal reasons.

Valerie was silent the entire time, hands interlocked in front of her and shoulders shriveled up.

“Are you alright?” Colleen asked.

“I guess,” she whispered. “It’s just all very new to me. Harry and I never grew up around magic, and I’m scared.”

The strawberry-blonde girl placed a hand on her shoulder. “I am, too. But it’s okay. I think as we learn, we’ll learn not to be so afraid.”

Valerie said nothing but gave her new friend a soft smile.

All of a sudden, a few of their new classmates screamed. When they looked up, multiple ghosts had emerged from the wall behind them. Two of them seemed to be arguing, and a round monk was rambling about something. One of the ghosts noticed the group of first years, but they were quiet.

“New Students!” exclaimed the Fat Friar was a smile. “About to be Sorted, I suppose?”

A few students nodded.

“Hope to see you in Hufflepuff!” he continued. “My old House, you know.”

“Move along now,” a voice commanded. “The Sorting Ceremony’s about to start.”

McGonagall had returned, and the ghost all began to disappear back into the wall.

“Now, form a line,” she instructed the students, “and follow me.”

All of the children followed suit, Colleen behind her brother and Valerie behind her. They entered the hall where the older students were sitting at the tables, and Colleen took note of the floating candles. She and her siblings have grown up around magic their whole lives, but she had never seen anything like this. Golden goblets and large dinner plates sat empty in front of each student. The ceiling above them appeared to be open and looking up at the night sky.

“It’s bewitched to look like the night the sky outside,” Hermione whispered. “I read about it in _Hogwarts: A History_.”

The professor stopped the group in front of a platform, another long table with what seemed to be teachers sitting there. A stool stood in the middle of the platform, and sitting on the stool was an old, tattered wizard’s hat. It was pointed, but it had seen better days given the frayed fabric and filth covering it in patches.

The hat then twitched, and a rim near the bottom opened its mouth and began to sing:

“ _Oh, you may not think I’m pretty._

_But don’t judge on what you see,_

_I’ll eat myself if you can find_

_A smarter hat than me._

_You can keep your bowlers black,_

_Your top hats sleek and tall,_

_For I’m the Hogwarts Sorting Hat_

_And I can cap them all._

_There’s nothing hidden in your head_

_The Sorting Hat can’t see,_

_So try me on and I will tell you_

_Where you ought to be._

_You might belong in Gryffindor,_

_Where dwell the brave at heart,_

_Their daring, nerve, and chivalry_

_Set Gryffindors apart;_

_You might belong in Hufflepuff,_

_Where they are just and loyal,_

_Those patient Hufflepuffs are true_

_And unafraid of toil;_

_Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,_

_If you’ve a ready mind,_

_Where those of wit and learning,_

_Will always find their kind;_

_Or perhaps in Slytherin_

_You’ll make your real friends,_

_Those cunning folk use any means_

_To achieve their ends._

_So put me on! Don’t be afraid!_

_And don’t get in a flap!_

_You’re in safe hands (though I have none)_

_For I’m a Thinking Cap!”_

Everyone in the hall burst into applause. Colleen couldn’t help but laugh, which caught the attention of the boy she had held hands with a few minutes prior. She could see him more clearly now. He had a head of dark brown hair, freckles sprinkled across his nose, and a pair of ocean blue eyes that disappeared when he smiled. Colleen wanted thought he would be an annoying one, but she couldn’t help but smile back at him, hoping the incident at the look would somehow disappear from his memory.

“So we’ve got to try on the hat!” Ron whispered. “I’ll kill Fred, he was going about wrestling a troll.”

“You can plan it later, Ronald,” Colleen piped up. “Let’s focus on what’s happening now.”

With a scroll in hand, Professor McGonagall stepped foreword.

“When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted,” she said. “Abbott, Hannah!”

A girl in blonde pigtails came foreword and sat down on the stool. The hat was placed on her head. After a silent pause, the hat screamed “HUFFLEPUFF!”

The students at the Hufflepuff table cheered loudly as they greeted their new Housemate.

“Bones, Susan!”

“HUFFLEPUFF!”

“Boot, Terry!”

“RAVENCLAW!”

The Ravenclaw table roared in applause.

“Brocklehurst, Mandy!” Another Ravenclaw.

“Brown, Lavender!” A girl with light brown hair came foreword and was placed as the first Gryffindor. Colleen and Ron could now see their older brothers welcoming her.

“Bulstrode, Millicent!”

“SLYTHERIN!” The Slytherin House applauded.

“Crabbe, Vincent!”

“SLYTHERIN!”

Valerie poked Colleen’s shoulder and whispered, “What House do you think I’ll be in?”

Coleen took a quick look at her friend. Valerie had the physical looks of a Slytherin, but Colleen was never one to judge a book by its cover. She always tried to see the very best in people, and Valerie didn’t seem to have one unkind bone in her body.

“Well, I think you could fit in with Gryffindor or Ravenclaw,” she responded in encouragement.

“Dursley, Valerie!”

The girl froze. Colleen and Harry gave her soft nudge foreword, and she trudged to the stool. The Hat was placed on her head.

Silence.

A few whispers from the other students began to float around. After about maybe ten minutes, the Hat screamed, “GRYFFINDOR!”

Valerie marched her to that House’s table with a smile on her face.

“Finch-Fletchley, Justin!”

“HUFFLEPUFF!”

“Finnigan, Seamus!” The boy whom had been smiling at Colleen came foreword and took his place on the stool. It was quiet for about a minute before the Sorting Hat screamed, “GRYFFINDOR!”

“Goyle, Gregory!”

“SLYTHERIN!”

“Granger, Hermione!”

“GRYFFINDOR!”

“Longbottom, Neville!”

Neville nearly tripped as he went up to the stool. After a few moments, “GRYFFINDOR!”

“MacDougal, Morag.”

“RAVENCLAW!”

“Malfoy, Draco!”

A pale boy with slicked-back blond hair strolled his way to the stool, and Colleen immediately recognized him from passing by him in Diagon Alley.

The Hat had hardly brushed his head when the Hat screamed “SLYTHERIN!”

Only a few first years were left.

Moon, Nott, and Parkinson were sorted. A pair of twin girls named Parvati and Padma Patil were sorted into Gryffindor and Ravenclaw, and then Perks was sorted into her house.

“Potter, Harry!”

The whispers whipped around the Hall as the boy in glasses took his turn to be sorted. Once the hat was placed on his head, it went quiet again for a few moments.

“GRYFFINDOR!” the Hat screamed.

Colleen could hear Fred and George chant, “We got Potter! We got Potter!” As he took his seat by Valerie.

“Thomas, Dean!”

“GRYFFINDOR!”

“Turpin, Lisa!”

“RAVENCLAW!”

“Weasley, Colleen!”

She hadn’t realized she was holding her brother’s hand, so she let go of it and made her way to the stool. Once she sat down, the professor placed the Hat on her head.

“So, we have another Weasley,” a voice whispered, almost startling her. “However, I can’t put you in Gryffindor. Yes, you’re a Weasley, but you’re different. Your potential lies elsewhere. I think the best place for you is RAVENCLAW!”

Her new House applauded for her as she walked over to them. Catching a glimpse of her brothers at the Gryffindor table, Fred and George gave her a thumbs up with nods, Percy had his eyebrows furrowed, and Ron just looked as if she had killed Scabbers. Colleen just shrugged and sat down.

“Weasley, Ronald!”

Her brother’s face went from shocked to terrified as he went up to be sorted.

“GRYFFINDOR!”

Colleen silently clapped for her brother as the last first year, “Zabini, Blaise” was sorted in Slytherin.


	4. Chapter 4

A man with a long, white beard and half moon-shaped glasses rose from his seat at the long table at the front of the Hall. Albus Dumbledore.

He gave a friendly smile. “Welcome! Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!

“Thank you!”

He sat back down as everyone else applauded with a few chuckles here and there.

Before Colleen could blink, all of the dishes on the tables were filled with a feast. All different meats and side dishes that Colleen and her siblings enjoyed were piled high. A girl who seemed to be a fifth year helped Colleen fix her plate.

“Thank you,” she said before digging into the roast chicken.

“You’re Percy’s sister, aren’t you?” the girl asked.

“Yes, I’m Colleen.”

“I’m Penelope,” the girl smiled. “Ravenclaw Prefect. Percy’s told me all sorts of things about you and your brothers. Are you the youngest?”

“No. We have one more. Our baby sister, Ginny. She should get her letter next June.”

“Well, the more Weasleys, the better. And if you ever need anything, you can come to me, the Head Girl, or our Head of Ravenclaw House.”

“And who’s that?” Terry asked, his mouth half full with the beef.

“Professor Flitwick. That’s him right there.” Penelope pointed to a small man sitting next McGonagall. He was the size of a goblin, but he had a much friendlier presence.

“What does he teach?” Colleen asked after swallowing a piece of bacon.

“Charms.”

Colleen grinned. “Fascinating.”

“And who do we have here?” a soothing voice spoke. All of the Ravenclaws looked up to see a ghost in a long white gown. She had a lovely face, a kind smile, and welcoming aura about her.

“It’s always refreshing to see new first years,” she smiled.

“This is the Grey Lady, everyone,” Penelope commented.

“Call me Helena.” Her transparent head turned to Colleen. “Now, this is a first. Nice to meet you, Miss Weasley.

“Call me Colleen,” she replied.

“Well, we’ve never had a Weasley in Ravenclaw before, but we’re very happy you’re with us, Colleen.”

She returned a smile and continued with her meal. As soon as she was done with her plate, the leftovers of the savory dinner vanished, and various desserts appeared before them.

“I’m half-and-half,” a voice from the Gryffindor table sounded from behind her.

Turning to see who it was, Colleen found it was the boy named Seamus speaking. “Me dad’s a Muggle. Mum didn’t tell him she was a witch ‘til after they were married. Bit of a nasty shock for him.”

He’s Irish, she thought, judging by his accent.

“Keeping an eye on your boyfriend, Weasley?” Lisa teased.

“I don’t even know him,” Colleen chuckled.

“He’s had his eyes on you since we got off the boats,” Padma commented. “I think he fancies you.”

“Only your first night, and someone has a crush on our new friend,” Penelope teased, which was followed by a few Ravenclaw students laughing.

Colleen blushed as she finished off the rest of her dessert. She just hoped no one noticed the handholding incident earlier.

Just like the main meal, the desserts disappeared; and once the Headmaster stood to his feet, everyone else fell silent.

“Ahem,” he cleared his throat, “just a few more words now that we are all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you.

“First years should note that the forest on the grounds in forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well.”

Colleen noticed Fred and George trying to hide their snickers.

“Quidditch trials,” he continued, “will be held in the second week of the term. Anyone interested in playing for their House teams should contact Madam Hooch.”

Colleen liked the sound of trying out. Her and her siblings have all fancied the game, and she had always wanted to try for Chaser when she got to Hogwarts. Knowing that Fred and George were Beaters, they probably wouldn’t be much help in preparing; but she hoped to find someone who might help her.

“And finally,” the headmaster concluded, “I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death.

“And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!”

The students rose from their seats along with the professors, and Dumbledore flicked his wand. “Everyone pick their favorite tune,” said Dumbledore, “and off we go!”

In various tunes and speeds, the students harmonized:

“ _Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,_

_Teach us something please,_

_Whether we be old and bald_

_Or young with scabby knees,_

_Our heads could do with filling_

_With some interesting stuff,_

_For now they’re bare and full of air,_

_Dead flies and bits of fluff,_

_So teach us things worth knowing,_

_Bring back what we’ve forgot,_

_Just do your best, we’ll do the rest,_

_And learn until our brains all rot._ ”

Everyone concluded the song as different times, Colleen almost cracking up at her brothers singing as if it were a funeral.

“Ah, music,” Dumbledore said. “A magic beyond all we do here! And now, bedtime. Off you trot!”

“This way, first years,” Penelope said. The Ravenclaws followed the Prefect through the crowds, out of the Great Hall, and down a dark hallway. They turned a corner and were met with multiple moving staircases.

“The staircases change,” Penelope explained. “But as long as you time them correctly, you’ll get the hang of them in no time.”

Colleen and her fellow housemates immediately took note of some of the portraits on the walls. The various people and animals all smiled, waved, and or welcomed in some way. It was nothing new to Colleen, but she was still fascinated by it all.

Once they got to what Colleen guessed was the fifth floor, Penelope led them down a hallway ending in a stone spiral staircase. The Ravenclaw students climbed it, and eventually came to a wooden door that had no trace of a knob or keyhole, but rather a bronze knocker in the shape of an eagle. The knocker then twitched, coming to life, then asked, “Feed me and I live. Give me a drink and I die. What am I?”

Penelope turned to the first years. “This is how we enter our common room. The knocker gives you a riddle, and if you answer it correctly then you’ll be able to enter. Who would like to answer today?”

A few whispers among the students floated about, and Colleen’s mind began to work. She thought about every animal in the world. They all needed to eat food and drink water, but what was something that could only eat food and die if it was given water?

Water. It can be used to put out fire as well, she thought.

Fire. That had to be the answer.

She shot her hand up.

“Yes, Colleen,” Penelope pointed to her.

Colleen faced the knocker. “Is the answer a fire?”

The door immediately swung open, and her fellow housemates applauded.

“Well, done, Colleen,” Penelope congratulated.

She pushed the door open wider. The students followed her to the most beautiful room Colleen had laid her eyes on. It was an open and airy space due to its wide, circular design. The roof above them was domed and painted to look like the night sky, and the arched windows revealed a beautiful view of the mountains in the distance. Bookcases lined the walls, and table and chairs with blue fabric were scattered around the room. Opposite of the entrance is another entrance that Penelope said would lead to the dormitories, and next to it was a stone statue of a what Penelope claimed to be Rowena Ravenclaw, which seemed as if she guarded the door.

“Boys dorms on the left,” Penelope announced as the students entered the doorway, “Girls on the right.”

Colleen, along with Lisa, Padma, and Mandy were with four four-poster beds, each with satin, royal blue canopy drapes over them. Each of their trunks had been brought up before they arrived there, and Colleen found hers right next to her bed. Her uniform and robes were folded neatly on the bed.

“Isn’t this exciting?” Mandy said. “Classes start tomorrow.”

“I don’t know if I can fall asleep,” Lisa replied. “Especially not now since Colleen has some admirers.”

“Enough about the boy from Gryffindor House,” Colleen laughed, nearly throwing her pillow at her housemate.

“What was his name again? Sean?”

“Seamus,” Padma corrected her. “My sister Parvati is in his house. She says he couldn’t take his eyes off you and nearly got left behind.”

The other two girls giggled as Colleen rolled her eyes.

“And what did you mean by ‘other admirers?’” Mandy asked as they all got into their pajamas.

“A few other boys in our year were saying how pretty Colleen was,” Lisa explained.

“They were not,” the strawberry-blonde girl objected as she sat in her bed, taking in how silky-smooth her bed sheets were.

“Yes, they were. They were complimenting your looks and personality. Even that brat Malfoy didn’t believe you ‘belonged to the Weasleys.’”

“Oh, go to bed.” Colleen immediately turned out the light and laid her head down.

“Good night,” Lisa called to them.

“Good night,” the rest of them called back.

Colleen’s head filled with thoughts about the conversation she just had with her roommates, and from what she could conclude, she knew she had just been labeled as the “pretty girl.” She didn’t want to walk around being known for her looks; all she wanted was to do well at Hogwarts and make her family proud, even more so now that she was in a different House.

With a reminder to show everyone else that she’s at Hogwarts to learn and succeed in whatever she does, she drifted off to sleep.


	5. Chapter 5

The first few days of classes were a whirlwind of surprises. Colleen and Padma struggled with the timing of the changing staircases, but they managed to riddle it out in time for breakfast. Astronomy would be meeting at midnight on Wednesdays, Herbology met three times a week, and History of Magic was a bore for most of Colleen’s classmates; taking notes in that class kept her awake and her mind busy. Charms quickly became Colleen’s personal favorite not because the Head of Ravenclaw House was teaching it, but rather she found herself quite skilled with the first couple of spells that the first years practiced.

Professor McGonagall was another teacher Colleen liked, but it was clear the professor wasn’t there to fool around. Colleen knew that if she wanted to pass her class, she had better take McGonagall seriously.

The second she took her seat by Padma, the professor immediately began to go over her expectations for the class. “Transfiguration is some of the most complex and dangerous magic you will learn at Hogwarts. Anyone messing around in my class will leave and not come back. You have been warned.”

After she turned her desk into a pig and back again followed by an exclaiming of awes by the first years, she began the long lecture; and Colleen followed along in her note taking. Once McGonagall had finished her lecture, she gave each student a match to turn it into a needle. Colleen and Hermione were the only ones who managed to do so without any trouble towards the end of class, and the professor praised the two girls with a soft smile.

The next class was Defense Against the Dark Arts, and everyone had been anxiously waiting to start it. However, Professor Quirrell quickly revealed himself to be a bit of an oddball once he started talking about how he was given his turban as a thank you for disposing a zombie. It began to seem far-fetched after Seamus asked him to tell about how he did it, but Quirrell turned pink and moved on to another topic.

Colleen happened to be sitting by Seamus in that class, but he only tried to talk to her when the Professor wasn’t looking. She needed to pay attention to the lecture, so she kindly asked if they could talk during lunch or sometime when they weren’t in any classes. He agreed, his ears being the only thing turning red this time.

Unfortunately, it didn’t happen as planned until Friday rolled around. Colleen was having breakfast with her roommates and discussing a plan to have a study group in the library when she noticed Lisa kept looking past Colleen’s head.

“What are you staring at?” she asked.

“Seamus has been trying to get your attention,” Lisa replied. “Look.”

Turning in her seat, her eyes met Seamus’ smiling blue ones as he waved hello to her. Colleen returned the waved and quickly turned back around.

Mandy had opened her mouth to speak, but Colleen was quick to tell her, “Don’t even think about it.”

Multitudes of owls then began to fly into the Great Hall, packages and letters held in their beaks and claws. The mail began to drop into everyone’s laps, and Colleen’s owl, Artemis, dropped a letter. It was from her parents and sister, and she immediately tore it open:

“ _Colleen,_

_Congratulations on making Ravenclaw, dear! Daddy and I were quite surprised and thought you were joking at first, but we knew the Sorting Hat always knows what House is best for everyone._

_Although you and Ronald won’t be seeing much of each other during your free time, I do encourage you to try being there for him and helping him out when he needs it. And please, for the love of Merlin, put the bickering aside. We know you, Percy, the twins, and Ron will do great this year; and Ginny can’t wait to join her brothers and sister._

_We love you so much, and are so proud of you!_

_With love,_

_Mummy, Daddy, and Ginny”_

Colleen couldn’t help but giggle at her mother’s letter. Molly always sent letters to her children within the first few weeks of them starting school, and Colleen was relieved that her parents were open to her being in a different House than Gryffindor. However, she could only imagine what would’ve happened if she were put in Slytherin.

…

Potions ended up being Colleen’s least favorite class. She could take notes and listen to the lecture just fine and ignore the cold air and weird pickled animal parts in jars, but Professor Severus Snape proved to almost everyone’s least favorite teacher. The second Harry had sat down next to Hermione, he immediately began to pick on him with blank yet spiteful look on his face.

“Ah, yes,” he said, staring the young boy down. “Harry Potter. Our new – _celebrity_.”

Snickers from Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle could be heard.

The second Snape finished taking roll he immediately began his instructions. “You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion making. As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don’t expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimming fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses…I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, ever stopper death - if you aren’t as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach.”

Dead silence loomed over the class. No one really knew what to make of the potions master.

Snape’s eyes immediately went to Harry. “Potter!” he called him out. “What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?”

Hermione’s hand shot up, but she was ignored.

“I don’t know, sir,” Harry shook his head.

Snape scoffed softly. “Tut, tut – fame clearly isn’t everything.”

Hermione kept her hand waving in the air, but Snape paid no attention to it.

“Let’s try again,” he said. “Potter, where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?”

“I don’t know, sir.”

Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle’s snickers were heard again. Colleen turned her head in their direction, made eye contact with Malfoy, and gave him the stink eye. He immediately stopped his giggles, and Colleen faced the front again.

“Thought you wouldn’t open a book before coming, eh, Potter?” Snape continued to downplay the boy. “What is the difference, Potter, between monkshood and wolfsbane?”

Hermione was now standing. Her hand was still waving, fighting to stay up until she got called to answer.

“I don’t know,” said Harry. “I think Hermione does, though, why don’t you try her?”

A few students laughed at Harry’s remark, but Snape wasn’t impressed. “Sit down,” he ordered Hermione. “For your information, Potter, asphodel and wormwood make a sleeping potion so powerful it is known as the Draught of Living Death. A bezoar is a stone taken from the stomach of a goat and it will save you from most poisons. As for monkshood and wolfsbane, they are the same plant, which also goes by the name of aconite. Well? Why aren’t you all copying that down?”

The sound of quills against parchment erupted, and Snape said, “And a point will be taken from Gryffindor House for your cheek, Potter.”

Brewing an actual potion turned out to be a disaster for almost everyone. Everyone was put into pairs, Colleen and Valerie as partners, and Seamus happened to be across from them as he was paired with Neville. They were assigned to brew a cure of boils. It didn’t seem it would so difficult when they began to weigh the dried needles, but she began to get discouraged once Snape began criticizing everyone except Malfoy. He was doing fine with his potion, but Valerie was doing just as well as him if not maybe better. Colleen kept having to start over, but eventually got back on her feet when Valerie whispered some guidance to her.

However, the horned slugs are what became Colleen’s downfall. The second she breathed in the scent of the horned slugs dropped into the mixture, it didn’t sit well with her stomach. She immediately froze in place as she could taste something awful invade the walls of her mouth.

“Colleen, what’s wrong?” Seamus asked, his face marked with concern.

She didn’t answer. As if on instinct, she found a small empty cauldron and released everything she had consumed that day. A few moans of disgust echoed in the room.

“It’s always a Weasley,” Snape said, and Colleen felt his words cut like the sharpest knife. “You, Dursley, take her to the hospital wing.”

Valerie lifted Colleen to her feet, the cauldron still tucked in her arms; and she guided her out of the classroom.

As soon as they turned a corner towards the hospital wing, Colleen burst into tears.

“It’s not your fault,” Valerie comforted her. “Loads of people are sensitive to certain smells.”

“It’s not the smell,” she sobbed, and Valerie seemed to know what she meant. “Snape said – “

“I heard what he said,” she interrupted. “But he’s wrong. You and Hermione are the smartest girls in our year, and your name doesn’t define your intelligence. You did your best.”

Colleen just gave a weak smile as a thank you just before stopping to vomit into the cauldron again, Valerie holding her hair back.


	6. Chapter 6

Madam Pomphrey tended to treating Colleen as soon as she and Valerie entered the hospital wing. Valerie explained what had happened, and the cauldron was taken to another room to be cleaned. Colleen was then given saltine crackers and mint tea to ease her stomach. She took small nibbles of the crackers and small sips of the tea. Valerie had to return to class, but not before promising to update her on any more notes from the potions lesson.

“Madam Pomphrey,” a voice called from the entrance.

The nurse abruptly stopped refilling Colleen’s cup and rushed to see who had entered. “Lay him down, quickly, Mr. Finnigan,” she said.

Colleen saw that Seamus had entered with a teary-eyed Neville, whose arms and legs were covered in boils. Neville yelped in pain from being moved around so much. The boils on his skin looked an angry red and must have been painful; Madam Pomphrey immediately got to work and dismissed Seamus.

The boy then noticed Colleen and walked over to her.

“How are you?” he asked.

“My stomach just hurts,” Colleen replied, “but what happened to Neville?”

“After you left the room, we made the mistake of adding the quills before taking the cauldron off the fire. It melted, our mixture spilled on Longbottom, and then it went sliding across the room and ruining everyone else’s shoes.”

“Did Snape insult him, too?”

“Called him an idiot.”

“I’m not surprised,” Colleen sighed, “but Neville didn’t deserve that.”

“You didn’t deserve an insult from Snape, either,” Seamus added as he sat on the edge of the bed. “Me cousin can’t take certain smells either, so I understood. But I think-”

“Mr. Finnigan,” Madam Pomphrey interrupted him, “Miss Weasley doesn’t need to be bothered at this time.”

“He’s not bothering me,” Colleen defended before taking another nibble of a cracker.

“Well, regardless, he needs to return to class, Miss Weasley. You can see each other at dinner if you’re feeling better.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Seamus nodded. “I’ll see you later, Colleen.”

He left after giving Colleen one last wave, but not even two seconds later Ron rushed in, not caring that he almost slipped on the floor, followed by Harry.

“Careful, Mr. Weasley,” Madam Pomphrey scolded him as she was wrapping Neville’s arms in gauze. “As much as I care for the students, I don’t want another one in here today.”

“Sorry,” Ron apologized, and then proceeded to engulf his sister in a hug. “Are you alright, sis?”

“The slugs’ smell didn’t sit well with me,” Colleen replied once Ron let go of her. “But I should be better by dinner.”

“We’re glad you’re alright as far as your stomach,” Harry said, “but we wanted to see how you were after Snape’s comment.”

“Oh, you saw that?”

“To be honest with you, just about everyone did. I wanted to try to turn that black mop on his head into snakes.”

“And he took two points from Gryffindor for no reason,” Harry added. “Clearly, he only favors those in Slytherin, especially Malfoy.”

“I’m not surprised,” Colleen scoffed before taking another sip of her drink.

“He’s always taking off points from Fred and George,” Ron said, “but it’s best not to try to press an argument, or the situation could get nasty.”

Colleen nodded in agreement. She always knew that some things were better left unsaid.

“I just wanted to come check on you, and see how you were,” her brother gave her a soft smile. “Will you be at dinner?”

“We’ll see,” she replied.

…

After giving it some thought, Colleen decided to come down to the Great Hall for dinner, but she was scared of triggering another gag reflex by eating real food. She stuck to eating small portions of some mashed potatoes and drinking small sips of water.

“The color’s back in your face,” Padma pointed out. “You were looking greener than Slytherin’s House colors.”

“As you all can see, I’m much better now,” Colleen chuckled.

“And what did Seamus think?” Lisa teased. Colleen shot her a look. “Sorry. I’ll stop bringing him up.”

“It’s alright,” she said with a sigh. “When he brought Neville in to the hospital, he came over and just talked to me. You know, asked how I was feeling and such.”

“How gentlemanly of him!” a voice praised from above the girls. The Grey Lady had swooped in to join the meal. “I couldn’t help it, but I heard about what happened in Professor Snape’s class today. I’m glad you’re feeling better, Colleen.”

“Thank you.”

“Any news on Neville?”

“I think he’s staying in the hospital wing overnight. Madam Pomphrey didn’t want him to move until the swelling and irritation went down.”

“Well, that’s good to hear. Oh, hello, Penelope dear!” She floated away to the prefects.

“Seamus was blushing like mad when we saw him after class,” Lisa whispered.

“Was he now?” Colleen rolled her eyes.

“It’s no secret he likes you.”

“He was just being nice when he was talking to me in the hospital wing,” Colleen shrugged. “I felt like cow droppings when I entered, but after he kept me company for a minute I started to feel a little better.”

“So does this mean you like him back?” Lisa winked, and Colleen shook her head immediately.

“He’s a very nice boy, but I still don’t know him that well.”

“Then, start hanging out with him more. Be friends.”

Before Colleen could say anything else, Padma looked passed her again. “Don’t look now, but he’s coming over here.”

The strawberry-blonde girl turned to her left as Seamus approached her with an arm behind his back.

“I – em,” he gulped, “wanted to give you this.” He pulled out a large, blue daisy from behind his back. Colleen’s heart began to melt as she took the flower.

“Thanks,” she said with a smile. “What’s it for?”

“I just thought you might needed some cheering up.”

“Your visit in the hospital was more than enough, but I appreciate it. It’s beautiful.”

“No problem,” he smiled before scurrying off to the Gryffindor table.

Padma and Lisa were trying to hide their giggles.

“What?”

“You’ve put some sort of spell on him, metaphorically speaking,” was all Padma could say.


	7. Chapter 7

The next week of classes went by without any more trouble. Monday through Wednesday was the usual classes such as Herbology, History of Magic, Transfiguration, and the once a week Astronomy class. Nothing made Colleen’s stomach uneasy in any class.

Seamus had begun walking with Colleen to classes they had together along with Dean, Valerie, and Neville; and she appreciated the company. His constant blushing around her had finally calmed down and only happened if she complemented him. They had grown into friends, but he still stammered when he’d try to return the complement. Teasing with some snickers from other classmates had become common, but it didn’t turn into Seamus or Colleen being picked on for it.

Thursday rolled around, and it was the first years’ first flying class, and almost everyone had a story to tell about their experiences with Quidditch or just flying on a broomstick for fun. Colleen had to listen to an earful of boasting from Malfoy, who claimed to have narrowly escaped Muggle flying contraptions and complained about first years never having the opportunity to tryout for the House teams. Seamus discussed growing up flying on a broomstick in the countryside, and Neville had never ridden a broomstick despite being raised in a wizarding home. Colleen recalled Bill and Charlie teaching her, Ron, and Ginny how to fly them, but it was only them holding onto the broom while their brothers kept it steady.

It was a pleasant afternoon outside, so Colleen was excited about a flying lesson with Madam Hooch. Class was held on the grounds near the front steps. The lesson was mainly the Gryffindors and Slytherins, but it somehow managed to squeeze into Colleen’s and few other Ravenclaws’ and Hufflepuffs’ schedules.

The broomsticks were laid out in two lines on the ground. When the Gryffindors arrived, Colleen took the broomstick next to Valerie’s.

Madam Hooch was the last to arrive, and she stood at one end of the two lines.

“Well, what are you waiting for?” she said. “Everyone stand by a broomstick. Come on, hurry up. Stick your right hand over your broom, and say ‘Up!’”

“UP!” the first years shouted simultaneously.

Harry’s broom jumped to his hand immediately. After the third “Up!” Colleen’s broom was the next one to jump to her hand. Eventually, the other students were able to make their brooms jump to their hands.

Madam Hooch then taught them how to mount their brooms properly and proceeded to correct each of the students’ grips.

“Now, when I blow my whistle, you kick off from the ground, hard,” she instructed. “Keep your brooms steady, rise a few feet, and then come straight back down by leaning forward slightly. On my whistle – three – two –“

Before Madam Hooch could blow her whistle, Neville nervously kicked the ground and immediately took off. Within the blink of an eye he had reached an altitude of twenty feet.

“Come back, boy!” their teacher shouted, but it was already too late.

Everyone saw Neville’s frightened expression just before he lost control of the broom and flew off of it. With a loud thud and what sounded like a crack, Neville had crashed to the ground while his broom disappeared into the Forbidden Forrest.

Madam Hooch rushed over to Neville. “Broken wrist,” she said. “Come on, boy – it’s all right, up you get.”

She managed to get the now crying boy, who was holding his wrist, to his feet. She then said to the students, “None of you is to move while I take this boy to the hospital wing! You leave those brooms where they are or you’ll be out of Hogwarts before you can say ‘Quidditch.’ Come on, dear.”

As soon as the two had gone from sight, Malfoy immediately started laughing. “Did you see his face, the great lump?”

His fellow Slytherins joined in the laughter.

“Oh, shut up, Malfoy,” Colleen snapped at him.

“Ooh, sticking up for Longbottom?” Pansy Parkinson teased. “Never thought _you’d_ like fat little crybabies, little Miss Weasley. I’ve always thought it was tiny little leprechauns.”

The other Slytherins laughed as Colleen felt her face grow hot. She turned to Seamus, who was also now red as a tomato.

“Look!” Malfoy pointed as he rushed at something shining in the ground. “It’s that stupid thing Longbottom’s gran sent him.”

Colleen recognized the object in Malfoy’s hand as a Remembrall.

“Give that here, Malfoy,” Harry demanded, but Malfoy just sneered at him.

“I think I’ll leave it somewhere for Longbottom to find – how about – up a tree?”

“Give it _here_!”

Malfoy ignored him as he mounted his broom and took off. He wasn’t joking when he claimed he could fly well, and he flew himself high over an oak tree. “Come and get it, Potter!”

Harry was about to mount his broom when Hermione and Valerie stopped him.

“ _No_!” Hermione said. “Madam Hooch told us not to move.”

“You’ll get us all into trouble,” Valerie backed her up.

But Harry went against them and took off on his broom.

“What an idiot,” the two girls commented simultaneously.

The rest of the class watched on as Harry soared up towards a smirking Malfoy. A few gasps roared and Ron let out a whoop for his best friend.

“Give it here,” Harry shouted, “or I’ll knock you off that broom!”

“Oh, yeah?” Malfoy responded. “Catch it if you can, then!”

The blonde boy threw the glass orb without hesitation, and Harry darted off towards it. Thankfully, he caught it just before it caught hit the ground and shatter into thousands of small shards. Cheers from everyone but the Slytherins erupted in celebration towards Harry as if he had saved a village from being attacked.

“HARRY POTTER!” a woman’s voiced boomed. McGonagall was running towards them. “ _Never_ – in all my time at Hogwarts – how _dare_ you – might have broken your neck – “

“It wasn’t his fault, Professor –“ Parvati piped up.

“Be quiet, Miss Patil –“

“But Malfoy –“ Ron chimed in.

“That’s _enough_ , Mr. Weasley. Potter, follow me, now.”

Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle’s had looks of victory on their faces as Harry followed the professor out of the courtyard.

…

After class, Colleen caught up to Seamus on her way back to Ravenclaw Tower. His normal color had returned to his face, but he was still shrugging, even with Dean trying to comfort him.

"Are you alright?" she asked.

"I should be asking you the same thing," he replied.

"I'm fine. I just wanted to say I'm sorry for what happened in class."

"That was Malfoy's doing," Dean said. "None of us did anything wrong, and Harry was doing the right thing. He might get into trouble, but Neville's our friend."

"Yes," Colleen agreed, "but I was talking about what Parkinson said."

“Don’t worry about it,” Seamus smiled. “I’ve been called worse.”

“Still, it’s not fair that she called you a leprechaun just because you’re from Ireland.”

“If Parkinson wants to apologize, she can. If she doesn’t, which I doubt she will, it won’t bother me.”

Colleen sighed. “Alright. See you both at dinner then?”

The two boys nodded before they all went their separate ways.


	8. Chapter 8

_October 31_

The first month at Hogwarts flew by, and Colleen could breeze through her classes with no problem. She and Hermione were at the top of their year. However, Colleen would have come in second if it were competition; she wasn’t very good at potions. It wasn’t that Snape intimidated her; she just seemed to doubt herself and get confused when working on potion making. Valerie was kind enough to tutor Colleen in their spare time, and Colleen returned the favor by tutoring her in other subjects she needed help in. This became her routine for the first two months: breakfast, classes, tutoring and homework with Valerie, and sometimes hanging out with Seamus and Dean.

Halloween morning approached, and after a fulfilling, delicious breakfast in the Great Hall Colleen and her classmates headed to Charms class with Professor Flitwick. He announced that their lesson would be how to make objects fly. Each student was put into pairs as they went and took their seats. Ron, was a displeased look on his face, was paired with Hermione, and Colleen was paired with Terry. They sat right across from the Gryffindors and Slytherins, Colleen perfectly adjacent with Seamus, who was paired with Harry.

“Now, don’t forget that nice wrist movement we’ve been practicing!” Professor Flitwick instructed as he was standing on a pile of books. “Swish and flick, remember, swish and flick. And saying the magic words properly is very important, too – never forget Wizard Baruffo, who said ‘s’ instead of ‘f’ and found himself on the floor with a buffalo on his chest.”

Terry and Colleen both picked up their wands, repeated the wand motion and chant, and their feather managed to levitate about two inches before it fell again.

“One at a time,” Colleen suggested.

Terry went first, but nothing happened.

Once Colleen was focused, she chanted, “ _Wingardium Leviosa,_ ” while performing the swish-and-flick motion. The feather rose to above a few feet above them.

“Oh, well done!” Professor Flitwick praised. “Everyone see here, Miss Granger and Miss Weasley have done it!”

A loud explosion sounded from the middle of them room. Seamus had some how set fire to his and Harry’s feather, leaving the boy’s face covered in ash.

“I think we’re going to need another feather, professor,” Harry said.

That evening marked time for the Halloween feast in the Great Hall. Everyone, including the professors, were all feasting on a multitude of different dishes but every other bowl or plate filled with various kinds of sweets. The students carried on with chatter as the ghosts floated around, stopping occasionally to speak to them. The “sky” above them was covered with dark clouds, and the floating candles were replaced with flickering pumpkins.

“So what happened in Charms?” Lisa asked. “Terry was talking something about it.”

“Seamus made a feather catch fire,” Colleen shrugged as she was about to bite into a piece of pumpkin bread.

“No, I meant with Hermione.”

“All she and I did were make feathers levitate.”

“Colleen,” Terry chimed in, “Granger was crying after class. I think she’s been in bathroom ever since.”

“What happened?” Colleen asked, and then came to a possible conclusion. “Did my brother say something?”

“He was calling her nightmare and saying how she had no friends.”

She smacked her own forehead in annoyance. “Idiot,” she mumbled under breath.”

The heavy doors to the Great Hall flew open, and Professor Quirrell came racing down between the tables screaming, “TROLL IN THE DUNGEON!!!”

Shocked silence covered the entire room.

“Thought you’d ought to know,” he whimpered before fainting.

As if someone were firing death curses, all of the students erupted in terrified screams and yelps; but Dumbledore was quick to quiet everyone down with firecracker noises from the tip of his wand.

“Prefects, lead your Houses back to the dormitories immediately!”

“Ravenclaws, come with me,” Penelope instructed. The first years immediately obeyed and lined up behind the prefects.

As they walked towards Ravenclaw Tower, chatter began circling around the House.

“What do you think is happening?”

“I hope the troll doesn’t get us.”

“Trolls are stupid. We’ll be fine.”

“Settle down, everyone,” one of the prefects shushed them. “We’re almost there. Once we get there, I want everyone to go into their rooms immediately and stay there until we tell you it’s safe.”


	9. Chapter 9

Colleen and her roommates all sat on their beds in silence as they waited for an update on the troll situation. She was lying down on her stomach with her chin resting on her mattress, Padma was trying to distract herself with a book, Mandy paced, and Lisa nervously chewed on her nails. Who let a troll into the castle? Or did it walk in on accident? So many questions went through Colleen’s head that it was giving her a headache.

A knock at the door snapped her out of her daze, and Penelope stepped in with a comforting smile.

“Girls,” she said, “it’s alright now. The troll has been taken care of.”

A sigh escaped Colleen’s lips as a wave of relief washed over the room.

“Tomorrow is a new day and a new month,” Penelope continued, “so let’s move on from this and wake up in the morning with a new mindset, all right? Sweet dreams, girls.”

She turned and left the room.

Once the lights were out, each of the Ravenclaw first year girls fell asleep shortly after.

* * *

_November 7_

If October wasn’t chilly enough, November was starting to take the cake. The mountaintops in the distance were starting to show off their snowcaps, and the morning dewdrops froze into frost by morning. Colleen always made sure to dress warmly every morning, but a few of the classrooms failed to stay warm during the day. However, she still managed to get her work done despite shivering in almost every class.

Colleen, Hermione, and, surprisingly, Malfoy were ranking with the top marks in their classes. Hermione was a little vocal about it, but she never boasted, Colleen was the same but helped others who were struggling, and Malfoy just acted like nothing happened and continued on tormenting his classmates.

Quidditch season had now begun, and the rumor weed sprouting around the school was that Harry Potter had been chosen as the new Seeker.

“Are you sure?” Colleen asked Ron after lunch one afternoon in the courtyard.

“Of course,” he nodded. “McGonagall said he’s the youngest player in nearly a century.”

“But first years aren’t allowed to try-out, are they?”

The siblings sat down on one of the stone benches, and Colleen felt a shot of the shivers rush down her spine. Stone cold, she internally joked.

“Remember when Harry saved Neville’s Remembrall?” Ron stated matter-of-factly. “It turns out the Gryffindor team needed a new Seeker. McGonagall saw Harry flying, introduced him to the captain, Oliver Wood, and he was appointed the position.”

Colleen said nothing but nodded.

The pair then began their Transfiguration homework, but ended up talking about Quidditch for most of it, spending an hour on what would be a fifteen-minute assignment.

Now, that they were in separate houses, the pair didn’t spend time together as much; but when they saw each other at lunch they would make plans to study or do homework together as a way to spend time together. Ron wasn’t the biggest fan of school, but his sister always encouraged him to do his best. Ron and Colleen bickered, as siblings do, but they always made up in the end. They never said it to anyone else, but they did love each other. Molly had made them both promise, in letters and verbally at home before school, that they would look after each other.

“By the way,” Colleen said after they finished their homework, “I made something for you and the other first year Gryffindors. They’re to wear at the match tomorrow.”

She reached into her knitted blue bag (hand-made by their mother), and pulled out a handful of crimson buttons with needles wired on the back. Half of them were embroidered with the letter “G” in gold thread, and the half another with a cartoon lion’s face.

“I made these for everyone to wear,” Colleen smiled. “If they want to.”

A smile grew wider than the Thames on Ron’s face when he saw them. “Colleen, they’re brilliant,” he praised as he took one of the buttons into his hand to further inspect it. “Where’d you get them?”

Colleen hadn’t exactly told Ron about the little trinkets and jewelry she had been crafting since she received her wand, but he was going to find out eventually no matter how aloof he was.

“I made them,” she admitted.

“Made them?” her brother repeated. “Using magic?”

She nodded.

“This can’t be the work of a first year, now could it?” –he locked eyes with her- “Unless you’ve been practicing since the day we went to Ollivander’s.”

“You’re not going to tell, are you?”

Ron released a heavy sigh, but shook his head. “I guess since we were never told no magic, yet, I guess I’ll let it slide.”

Colleen nodded in thanks. No matter how much she squabbled with Ron, she knew she could always rely on him. They had always kept each other’s secrets since they were small, and for now, he would keep her craftsmanship under wraps.

“On one condition,” Ron said. “If you decide to sell stuff like this, I want some for free.”

“14 Sickles,” Colleen replied. “Everyone has to pay, including family members.”

“10 Sickles.”

“12 Sickles.”

“Done.”

He looked back down at the buttons again.

“They don’t cost anything, do they?” Ron asked.

“No, they’re a gift. From a Ravenclaw to the Gryffindor House.”

As the two gathered their things and headed off to Potions, Colleen said, “If Gryffindor wins tomorrow, I won’t tell anyone about your visit to the forbidden corridor.”

“How-?”

Colleen didn’t let him finish as she scurried off to find Valerie.


	10. Chapter 10

_November 8_

Excitement filled the air long before the game started. The older Gryffindor students had their faces painted in order to show support for their House, and the Slytherin students did the same. The first year students had decided to be creative in their support for the new Seeker with a banner declaring _Potter for President_ , and a lion, painted by Dean, roaring underneath it. Colleen couldn’t join the other Gryffindors, but she and most of the other Ravenclaws would cheer on the team in crimson red. Colleen stood in between Penelope and Lisa, and she could easily spot her brother from across the stadium. She waved to him, and he waved back, along with who she guessed was Seamus.

“Look,” Lisa nudged her. “They’re entering the arena.”

Both teams, one clad in red and the other in green, flew out on their broomsticks and positioned themselves in the air. Madam Hooch stood in the center where she could see both teams, and a large, brown suitcase sat in front of her feet. After about a minute, she kneeled down, opened the chest, and all of the balls for the game were released.

Madam Hooch blew the whistle, and off the players flew.

“And the Quaffle is taken immediately by Angelina Johnson of Gryffindor,” Fred and George’s friend Lee Jordon commentated for the match.

As the game went on, Colleen and the other Ravenclaws cheered on their friends, the focus being on the Chasers, Keepers, and Beaters. Lee Jordan commentated on the action, his voice going into agony if Slytherin had a trick up their sleeve or scored a point. Fred managed to shout a, “Hi, Colliewollie!” as he flew by on his broom, slightly embarrassing his sister in front of her friends.

“Come on, now, Angelina,” Lee continued. “Keeper Bletchley dives – misses – GRYFFINDOR SCORE!”

Three of the four houses erupted in victory cries. A few Slytherins clapped, but a majority stood stone still.

“Slytherin in position,” Lee Jordon continued. “Chaser Pucey ducks two Bludgers, two Weasleys, and Chaser Bell, and speeds toward the – wait a moment – was that the Snitch?”

A few Ravenclaws gasped and leaned forward to try to spot it, the Prefects struggling to push the back. Harry and Slytherin’s seeker Terence Higgs zoomed towards a flying gold object neck and neck, but Harry was faster. He seemed to almost taste victory as soon as he-

“Foul!” Gryffindor House screamed.

Marcus Flint blocked Harry, and he spun off course, but the boy was quick to regain control. Flint was given a harsh talking to from Madam Hooch, and Gryffindor was given a free shot at the goalposts. However, the Snitch had disappeared completely.

Just then, Colleen heard something buzz by her ear. It wasn’t that of an insect, but something similar to a hummingbird’s. A few gasps erupted, and when Colleen looked, it was the Snitch.

“Harry! The Snitch!” Colleen and her classmates called out to him.

The Gryffindor Seeker looked and smiled when he saw the Snitch. Before he could fly over to try to catch the Snitch, his broom jerked, causing him to almost fall. He gained control, but the broom seemed determined to shake him off. Harry has lost complete control of the Nimbus.

Colleen couldn’t watch the match anymore. She knew she would probably get some sort of suspension for using magic, but she didn’t care. She had to help her friend. Drawing her wand, she pointed it towards Harry’s broom, and cried, “ _Prohibire!_ ”

Nothing.

Of course, she thought. Nothing can interfere with a broom except dark magic. But who would want to do this to Harry?

The broom was still shaking violently and moving towards the sky. Colleen felt helpless.

However, the broom stopped shaking, and Harry regained control of it. He zoomed back into the match and began chasing the Snitch that had long left Colleen’s ear. Harry reached the ground, his broom hitting the grass, and he tumbled. When he stood, he was holding hands to his mouth, and he was…gagging?

“He’s not about to be sick, is he?” Terry asked.

Something did come out of Harry’s mouth, but upon a closer look, it was the Golden Snitch.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” Lee Jordan announced, “Harry Potter’s caught the Snitch! Gryffindor wins!”

The score was one hundred and seventy points to sixty, and cheers from all of the Houses except for Slytherin celebrated in the loudest of war cries.

* * *

“Snape did what?” Colleen asked her brother later that evening before dinner.

“You heard me, sis,” Ron replied. “It only makes sense. If there’s one person Snape hates the most, it’s Harry.”

“Well, considering how he is, it doesn’t surprise me.”

“You see?”

“Ronald,” Colleen sighed, “Snape’s mean, but I don’t think it’s enough to actually want to kill someone, let alone a student.”

Ron stood up a little straighter and reminded her, while listing things with his fingers, “Snape takes points from Houses other than Slytherin for no reason, he humiliated Neville, insulted you, gives Valerie a hard time, and despises Harry. What more reason do you need?” He looked around before whispering, “Harry, Hermione, Valerie, and I think he’s hiding something.”

“Like what?” Colleen’s eyebrows furrowed.

“Walk with me,” Ron guided his sister by the elbow towards the Great Hall. “Remember when I told you about the corridor we accidentally entered?”

Colleen nodded.

“There’s a giant three headed dog guarding a door, and whatever it is, Snape wants it.”

Something told Colleen he was telling the truth, but she wasn’t sure. However, with Snape chanting something during the match, and Snape having part of his black robes singed off afterwards, it made some sort of sense.

“I’m not saying I believe you,” Colleen told her brother, “but I’m not saying I don’t believe you. I’m just going to tell you that if you four go looking for whatever it is, be careful. I don’t want to return home and tell Mum that one of her children went missing during first year.”

“We’ll live,” he smiled, confidence wrapped in his voice. “But I need you to promise you won’t tell anyone.”

Instead of saying anything, Colleen just shook her brother’s hand, sealing the deal.


End file.
